What is Housing Discrimination?

Housing discrimination is treating people differently in housing transactions based on their protected class status, and / or making decisions about housing eligibility based on an applicant's protected class:

Federal Fair Housing - Protected Classes

Disability, including people with HIV / AIDS and people in recovery from alcohol / drugs

Race / Color

Religion

Sex - includes protection against sexual harassment

Familial Status - presence of children under the age of 18 and / or pregnancy

National Origin

Fair Housing - Montana Protected Classes

Marital Status

Creed

Age

Examples of Housing Discrimination

Refusing to sell, rent or deal with a particular person based only on their protected class.

Falsely denying that a rental unit is available to applicants in a protected class.

Setting more restrictive standards, such as higher income, for tenants in a protected class.

Refusing to accommodate the needs of a tenant with a disability, such as not allowing an Assistance Animal.

Steering - the practice of directing people to more 'appropriate' neighborhoods.

Setting different terms, conditions or privileges for any housing transaction.

Advertising housing as being available only to certain people. For example, 'Adults Only - No Children Allowed'.

The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.